A study earlier this year in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that among 123,000 adults followed over 14 years, those who sat more than six hours a day were at least 18 percent more likely to die than those who sat less than three hours a day.

So what are we doing with our children? Our students sit at desks for a good portion of their school day. Unless they are lucky enough to have a P.E. class, they are behind the desk for just about six hours daily in high school.

And this is all part of tradition and law. The legal aspect includes requirements by most states for a minimum number of minutes, hours, days in school. In California that magic number is 175 days (down from 180, thanks to budget woes).

Just under half a year of six hours daily seat time. Which way too many teachers believe in – sitting, listening, thinking (we hope), writing, on computers. Not active.

Story idea: check out your local laws and schools. What are the required times for attendance and how many teachers use that time to be the expert on the dais as opposed to allowing students to move around, be active and interact?

Is academia actually contributing to society’s obesity and health woes?

Oh – and I loved the (mostly) boys at school who took every opportunity to grab a handball and hammer the gym walls. Plus (of course) my bboyz who expend more energy in one weekly club meeting that most students do in a month.